doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Fox on Gunbroker-What am I missing

I just got back home from examining the gun.

It is what it is...

It was difficult to get a chamber length measurement because of Fox's tight and tapered chambers, so I can't comment on the chamber length.






.

Believe there was no notation on the card so it is probably 2 3/4". How nasty is that pitting? Ps. Looks like a damp basement gun to me and I've seen more then a few of those over the years. PS. All numbers match on the gun. It is indeed an HE.

To answer my friend Doug Mann's query about the grade, there are people who are privy to the "list" of HE serial numbers. Apparently, this serial number is on the "list". In addition, all board members and ex board members of the Fox Collectors Association possess a complete computer file of the Fox order cards for graded guns.

Thank you Bill, I was kind've aware of the list but I did not see an photos of the serial # on the frame. I may have missed it in my advanced age. :-)

As it stands now there isn't a lot of money left for a professional restoration IMHO.

If I owned this gun, I wouldn't be interested in a professional restoration. It would get restored on my dining room table.

I would not restore it either. Preservation and a gentle touch keeping as much original condition as possible and stopping further oxidation would be my goal.

This guns needs stabilization and preservation not restoration. I would clean up the rust, rust blue the barrels and refinish the stock a bit. Beyond that you are just pumping money down a well.

I'm not convinced it needs a rust blue. First step would be to boil those barrels, then remove the black oxides and see what you have. Yes there will be some pitting and blue loss but how much would need to be seen. I would likely just build up the places needing it and not polish out the original blue, just build up where needed and blend out with a few passes covering everything.

The current high bidder was the number 2 bidder on a HE Fox that sold Super Bowl Sunday for 14K plus and that one had cut barrels. Apparently he wants an HE real bad. Be interesting what the final gavel shows.

SKB you are right. And a working gun is allowed a few scars. I just want to make sure all the rust is neutralized and your suggestion would certainly take care of that. I would not strike the barrels just to remove or hide a little pitting. Work horse guns are beautiful to me with scrapes, dings and wear that attest to their being used for the purpose they were intended. Honest hunting.

Hunting of game in natural habitat, not the shooting of pen raised poultry that is shot over e-collared dogs with little bells hanging of their collars. If you tried to put either an e-collar or a little bell on the Cheasie I grew up with your day would have ended with a few bandages and a lot of metholide on cuts and bites. A HE and a Chessie would make a fine throw back combination.